One Night at Pop's
by TheBlueAndGold
Summary: Just as things begin to look up, Archie is arrested. It's up to his friends to prove his innocence, but with Hiram and his posse of villains hot on their tale, will it be enough? Join the 'Core Four' and company as they navigate turbulent waters to get their town back. Picks up after season 2 finale. Mostly Bughead, but also Choni, Varchie, and a Kevin-Moose-Jaoquin love triangle.
1. Chapter 1: Downhill From Here

**Author's Note: Hello everybody! I just wanted you guys to know that this is my** **first story,** **so bare with me! I've been reading countless fanfics on here for years, and always wanted to make my own, so here I am! Please leave reviews on my story (if you think there's something I could do better/improve on, please leave** **constructive criticism.** **Please don't be rude!)! Well I should stop babbling so you can read the story!**

 **~Sofi**

 **Chapter 1: Downhill From Here**

 _Every town has its secrets, for you would be a fool to believe otherwise. Whether it is the quaint family in a perfectly perfect cookie-cutter house concealing a deep darkness, or a wealthy and prominent family hiding a murdering past, everybody has their demons._

 _Riverdale was a beacon, a shining glimmer of hope, that a small and quiet town could be just that._

 _Riverdale had been changed the day Jason Blossom's body wound up on the banks of Sweet Water River. Riverdale had been changed the day Fred Andrews was shot by a sadistic serial killer, the Black Hood. Riverdale had been changed the day Hal Cooper had admitted to being the brutal killer who stalked the streets of this hopeless town. Even with Hiram Lodge's heinous plan looming over the town, things started to look up for the youth of Riverdale._

 _But as they say, 'all good things must come to an end.'_

 _Just as everything had began to return to 'The Town With Pep!,' Riverdale High's resident golden boy, Archie Andrews, had been arrested for murder._

…

Archie's heart was pounding. Nearly beating out of his chest. It was all happening too fast. He was still trying to wrap his brain around why he was locked up in a cell at the police station. What Sheriff Minetta said _was not true_. He did not kill Cassidy. He may have regretted hesitating, but he still did not do it. He did not kill him. Archie thought deeply about the situation he was currently in. _What proof do they have against me anyway?_ He thought. _That I ran after him?_ Butterflies fluttered in his stomach, eager to know what would happen next. That wasn't nearly enough evidence to convict him of _murder._ Then his mind drifted to Hiram. _Of course._ The puzzle pieces fell into place in his mind as Archie sat down on the cold, steel bed in his cell. _This is because I threatened him. He needed to get rid of me._

Archie looked around his miniscule prison. A musky smell filled the atmosphere that he couldn't quite pinpoint. The painted steel bars containing him were rusted and faded. He could see microscopic paint chips that have fallen onto the floor from its former residents. A sharp chill quickly ran down his spine.

"Mr. Andrews," Sheriff Minetta spoke walking through the door, stirring Archie from his thoughts. "I need you to come with me."

"I don't know what you and Mr. Lodge are planning, bu-"

"Mr. Andrews." Minetta repeated, startling the adolescent. "As I said before, everything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You are going to come with me."

Archie wearily stood up, not noticing the slight shaking of his legs. As Sheriff Minetta led him down the hall of the station, Archie's eyes never left Minetta's. He tried to search for something, _anything,_ but came up empty. He noticed his friends rushing down the hall way towards him, concern dawned their faces.

"I didn't kill him!" Archie practically yelled to them while being rushed past, "At the cabin, I didn't kill him!"

"Archie!" Veronica yelped as she tried to follow him along with Jughead and Betty. "Archie Wait!"

Their efforts came to none though, as multiple officers stopped them.

Jughead took a glance at Betty and read her puzzled expression. He could tell she was planning something, concocting an investigation her mind, piecing whatever pieces she had together in her mind. They looked on solemnly after the red head, but unbeknownst to them, they each shared the same confused feeling. Why had Archie been arrested? Who was Archie talking about at the cabin? Who didn't he kill?

…

"So your big plan was to arrest your little teen accomplice?" Claudius voiced, readjusting himself and leaning back in his seat.

"Yes. Archie was with holding valuable and critical information that would utterly destroy my family's image and my plans for this town. Now that Hermione's mayor, that is a risk we cannot afford to take." Hiram articulated, while handing everyone a glass of rum.

Back in the Whyte Wyrm that he had just traded with his daughter, Hiram Lodge was conducting an eminently important meeting. Hiram had gathered his own posse, complete with murderers, manipulators, and criminals alike. In the middle of the room were two small round tables, two lights from above casting an ominous and eerie glow throughout the room. The air smelled of alcohol and cigarette smoke, and it laid a thick consistency throughout the old bar. A chill was ever present anywhere you stepped foot. Reflective pools of grease and god-knows-what could be seen randomly placed throughout the building.

Five chairs were placed around the tables. From left to right, Hiram's gang consisted of Penny Peabody, and ex-Serpent; Penelope Blossom, Cheryl's mother; Claudius Blossom, Cheryl's uncle; and Malachai, the leader of the Ghoulies, though Hermione Lodge was knowingly absent. Sheriff Minetta was attending important business at the moment.

"Doesn't your daughter know information as well?" Penelope piped up, taking a long and slow sip of her rum.

"Yeah, and we still have two detectives running around. Jughead and his little north-side princess are still a problem." Penny noted while twirling a knife under the table.

"Well we have you to thank for that, don't we?" Hiram countered, turning his head towards her. A menacing looked masked over his face and she looked away. Penny took a quick glance in Malachai's direction and scoffed, returning to her knife beneath the table.

"And how are we supposed to believe your little pawn-of-a-mayor won't spill?" Malachai spoke, slurring his speech slightly.

"I told you," Hiram snarled, "I have everything under control." Hiram strolled over to a table in the corner of the room and refilled his alcohol. "Penny, Malachai, you will be dealing with Betty and Jughead once I tell you what I would like you to do. Penelope, Claudius, keep as close an eye on Cheryl and her serpent girlfriend as you can. I will deal Hermione and Veronica. Do I make myself clear?"

Each member slowly nodded. Their breaths carried the not-so-distinctive smell of expensive rum and each had a guided and personal agenda on their minds. A smile crept up the corners of Malachai's mouth. He was ready for a brawl. He was ready to enact some revenge. They all were.

 _To be continued…_

 **Author's Note: I'm sorry if it's short! I have acrylic nails and it's SUPER hard to type and I'm dealing with a pretty severe case of writer's block. I just wanted to get one part out. I'll be updating weekly on this story every Friday. I will notify in advance if I will not be posting the next week. Thank you for reading, please leave a review! I hope you check in next week!**

 **~Sofi**


	2. Chapter 2: Dwindling Hope

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! I'm back! I'm so sorry for not posting this yesterday, I had company over and there really wasn't anytime. Anyway, I've been getting a lot of great ideas (thanks to a few reviewers XD) but I've already written multiple synopsis for the future chapters so I apologize if this story is going pretty slow. I'm not the best writer, but I'm so glad I've gotten many positive reviews so far! I won't ramble any longer, enjoy!**

 **~Sofi**

 **Chapter 2: Dwindling Hope**

 _How do you stop one person that seems to hold all the power? How do you deceive the deceiver? Those seem to be to the questions running through the minds of each youth of Riverdale._

 _The arrest of Archie Andrews shook the small town nearly to the breaking point. Nearly. The residents of this once bloodless town were now gradually losing faith._

 _As Hiram slowly grew his empire, the girl-next-door, Betty Cooper, began to investigate._

"You guys gotta believe me. I didn't kill Cassidy." Archie pleaded, rushing up to steel bars encasing him as Jughead paced around the room.

"Don't worry, we believe you Arch." Betty exclaimed, sitting in a chair near the window next to Veronica.

Jughead stopped pacing and took a seat next to Betty, the puzzled expression staying ever present on his face. "It doesn't make any sense. You said Andre did it, right? So they have zero evidence against you."

"That's what I thought," Archie explained, never letting go of the metal bars. "But there's something I need to tell you. I think Hiram is behind this."

"Well that's not unexpected, but why would he wait until now? Nothing makes any sense!" Jughead ran his hands through his hair in frustration. _Why can't anything just go right for us?_

"Don't worry Archie, we will figure this out. We _will._ " Betty said, glancing towards Archie. He gave her a nod in return, but she could see a hint of worry. Betty couldn't blame him, for she wasn't totally convinced herself.

"Excuse me," Sheriff Minetta announced while walking through the door. "I'm going to need you two to leave."

'"Of course, come on Betts." Jughead, Betty, and Veronica rose from their seats in synchronization.

"We'll get you out of here, promise." Explained Veronica as she looked back at Archie. "I love you," she whispered, giving him a quick kiss between the bars before retreating from the room. Archie held on to the kiss, basking in the feeling for as long as possible. It would be awhile until he experienced the wonderful sensation again.

Jughead eyed the sheriff as he exited the room, his brows knit tight on his forehead. Minetta eyeing him as well, battling a silent war against Jughead. Eventually, Jughead took the defeat and hurried, behind Betty, out of the sheriff's sight. He couldn't help but think it was a metaphor.

. . .

"Jug, we've been at this for hours. We have nothing!" proclaimed Betty, throwing her hands up in a panic.

After their conversation with Archie at the station, Jughead and Betty headed to the Blue & Gold office to prove Archie's innocence. After nearly 3 hours of intense investigation and note-taking, they came up empty. Their hope was dwindling dangerously over the edge of the cliff that was Archie's freedom. But they had promised him they would prove his innocence, and there was no way they were giving up after just _3 hours._

"I know, Betts! I know," snapped Jughead, Betty flinching at his rising tone. "Sorry I'm just . . . I'm not giving up now, Betty." Jughead walked over to the bulletin board they had precariously set up, where their murder-board used to be.

"No I'm sorry," Betty replied in a soft tone, "Let's just review everything we have." She hopped off the desk and stood beside Jughead, viewing their possibilities.

"Okay so, we can testify for his innocence. We were witnesses and Archie did not have a gun." Jughead spoke up, still unsure of their chances. He walked over to a round table in the corner of the office a picked up a small notepad. He scribbled three names: Betty, Jughead, and Veronica. He drew a line under each and wrote 'witnesses'. He quickly walked back to the board and firmly attached it with a thumbtack.

"I also have an idea," Betty said, snatching the notepad away from Jughead and repeating his actions. She thumbtacked another paper onto the board. Upon the paper written in perfect handwriting were the words 'Expose Hiram'.

"I like the way you think, Cooper." Jughead smirked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. A mischievous yet determined expression masked the young detective's face. _Maybe we can do this after all._

"Alright so here's the plan," Betty began while turning towards Jughead. "I'll talk to Veronica over the weekend if she isn't already put on house arrest."

"Got it," Jughead replied, meticulously bringing together the plan throughout his vast mind. "I'll go around talking to anybody I know to see what I can get on Hiram, that sound good?"

"It sound perfect," Betty grinned, gathering her stuff together. "Now I gotta go before Mama Cooper puts _me_ on house arrest."

"You sure I can't give you a ride home?" Jughead offered, untying the jacket from his waist and returning it to his shoulders.

"I'm sure," She walked over to Jughead and gave him a passionate kiss. Her heart still fluttered a thousand times more each time she did it. "Love you, Jug. See you tomorrow!"

"Love you too, Cooper, see ya." Jughead replied smugly, a goofy grin staining his face. And with that, he strolled out of Riverdale High into the crisp, cold atmosphere of dusk.

. . .

Betty drifted along the sidewalk that lined the houses in her neighborhood. As she took a breath, Betty watched the wispy cloud leave her mouth and disappear among the breeze. Her steps echoed against the homes and traveled somewhere Betty could only imagine. Her hands trembled with an anxious feeling. She hated walking alone at night. As she continued on, she glanced into the windows of the houses, peering into the lives of Riverdale's residents. _How perfect their lives must be right now._

Once Betty reached her home, she quickly rambled through her bag, pulled out her keys, and unlocked the door. She stepped into her house as a warm rush of air greeted her. She quietly closed the door behinder, for she knew her parents were asleep since she had been at the school all day. She walked into the kitchen and set her bag down onto the ivory countertop.

Betty sighed. _It's all too much._ She gently rubbed her temples, desperately trying to relax. She opened a cupboard slowly, preventing as much creaking as she could. Her steps echoed throughout the house as Betty filled her glass up with water.

A knock at the door caused Betty to jump.

Heart racing, she inched closer to the entrance of her home. Betty stared at the door, the only thing keeping her from the unknown beyond it. Hesitantly, Betty reached for the knob, a mischievous knave coaxing her to meet the foreign entity. _Who would be here this time at night?_

The door ominously swung open, but no one was there. There was just the bitter, portentous night staring back at her. Betty eased and let out a long sigh of relief. As she turned to return inside, she spotted something at her feet: a small, pale envelope.

Betty felt the anxious feeling rise in her gut once more. She falteringly grabbed the enclosure quickly. Her eyebrows twitched and knitted together as she glanced around the outside atmosphere, searching for any signs of life. Turning up unsuccessful, Betty retreated inside, the nervousness growing with every minute. She gently peeled up the paper, the envelope holding such mysterious yet intriguing promise. Pulling out the paper, Betty eyed the note.

Her hands began to tremble. Her heart race increased. Fear diffused into her. Enclosed into the envelope was a small piece of paper that read: "Watch your back, princess. We like the taste of snake blood."

 _To be continued . . ._

 **Author's Note: I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Sorry if it's going a little slow, I don't want to rush things. Well not much to say, so I'll see you next week!**

 **~Sofi**


	3. Chapter 3: Secrets, Secrets

**Author's Note: Welcome back! I just want to take a quick moment to say thank you for all the amazing reviews! It's because of you guys that motivate me to keep writing. Well, without further adieu, enjoy the chapter!**

 **~Sofi**

 **Chapter 3: Secrets, Secrets, and More Secrets**

 _Secrets are a common recurrence in Riverdale. Whether it be that you kissed your next door neighbor, or a more sinister mystery looming overhead, this town had no virtue towards this._

 _In Riverdale, if someone had found out your secret, you weren't safe. Your life would be over, that is, if the secret was horrible enough._

 _This was something Hiram Lodge had yet to understand._

Betty Cooper rose from her bed in a cold sweat. She checked the clock. 4:27. _Have I only been asleep for half an hour?_ She wiped the dew from her forehead and pulled her knees to her chest. Betty could feel the slight tremble of her hand and the shallow shakiness of her breath. She didn't feel safe. Not here, not now. She glanced around her perfect little room, observing as much as she could in the dark light. She strained her eyes against the pale sheet of paper lying upon her desk, mocking her, but ultimately gave up. As she fell back on her bed, thousands of thoughts drifted through the young teen's endless mind.

 _Who wrote it? How do they know where I live? Was this real, or was it a prank?_

Betty fell back against her sheets, sighing as she stared at the blank ceiling, not one thought leaving her attention. Closing her eyes slowly, Betty longed for the sweet relief of sleep, but it never came.

. . .

"Elizabeth! Time to get - Oh! Great, you're already up...and dressed!" Alice spoke, walking into Betty's room as if it were her own, "Well, get downstairs and eat breakfast, you can get to school early today." And with that, she left the room, not bothering to close the door behind her.

"Of course…" Betty mumbled, rubbing her eyes. She had gotten absolutely no sleep, her thoughts haunting her into the early hours of the morning.

She had put herself together okay, but there were some noticeable imperfections and differences to what the infamous Betty Cooper would normally wear. She had on a pear of high wasted jeans and had thrown on an oversized sweater. She had also lazily stuck her hair into her usual ponytail and nonchalantly pulled on a pair of white sneakers. _This is not gonna be a good day._ With that, Betty ambled out her bedroom door and headed downstairs for breakfast, never forgetting the note.

. . .

Jughead had decided to get to school early that day and get some work done on Archie's case. He entered the grand doors of Riverdale High and stopped at his locker before continuing down the halls towards the Blue & Gold room. His feet squeaked against the tiled floor as he set his bag down onto a desk in front of their investigation board. He spotted Betty's bag upon the table as well. _She probably left it here from last night while we were working,_ he thought. He chuckled to himself and made a mental note to return it to her later.

"Juggy? What are you doing here?" Betty asked, visibly confused.

"Betts!" He said, being startled out of his position leaning against the desk, "What are you doing here?"

"I uh… Hey! I asked you first," She countered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I came to work on Archie's case."

"I-I did too!" She mumbled, obviously lying.

"Betts, I know you better than that, why are you here?" Jughead replied sternly, walking towards Betty.

"I um, couldn't sleep…" She uttered, avoiding all eye contact she possibly could.

After she said this, Jughead could start to notice signs. Purple bags dangled low beneath her glossy eyes. Her iconic ponytail hung lower than usual today, and several wisps of her hair fell loose and framed her pale face. Her hands, no against her side, trembled ever so slightly. Her body slouched lazily to one sized and she just visibly looked tired and uncomfortable. His heart ached at the sight of his girlfriend's state, but that wasn't the only thing he could tell though. Something else was up.

"Betts," Jughead put his hands onto her shoulders. He could physically feel her tense up, "as your boyfriend, is there anything else you want to tell me?"

It amazed Betty how well Jughead knew her. He knew her better than she knew herself.

She held her breath and hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether or not the tell him. She sighed and walked over towards her bag, Jughead's eyes never leaving her. A concerned expression was plastered onto Jughead's face as Betty reached into her bag and pulled out a dull piece of parchment. A familiar feeling rose into his gut that Jughead just couldn't place. Betty's hands shook uncontrollably as she handed the note to Jughead.

Jughead opened the note and read the contents. Betty's brow knitted her face into a sad, worried expression. His whole body tensed, and his blood boiled hotter than it ever had. Every nerve in his body flinched as his hands tightened around the paper. A low grumble escaped his lips as he spoke.

"...Who, Betty? Who gave this to you?"

. . .

From within her pocket, Cheryl could feel her phone vibrate with a message. Her mind turned as she surveyed her screen. _Cheryl, I need to talk to you and Toni ASAP. Meet at Pop's in 10?_ She contemplated replying to Veronica, but ultimately decided to, the intrigue it supplied her was much too strong.

 _Sure, c u there,_ She responded, then switching to text Toni.

 _Hey babe, going to Pop's. Meet me there in 10, Veronica says it's important._

 _Sure, see you soon love!_ Toni replied instantly.

Cheryl smiled at smugly at this. She sat up from her bed, leaving the comfort behind. She grabbed her shawl and handbag before heading downstairs and off towards Pop's.

. . .

"So, what's so important that we absolutely _needed_ to be here?" Cheryl chimed as she took a good long sip from her milkshake.

Snuggled into a booth at the back of Pop's, Veronica pulled out a piece of parchment enclosed in a folder from her bag. She stared intently at the item, considering whether or not she should part with it. She handed it to Cheryl hesitantly.

"What is it?" Toni asked, sharing a glance with Cheryl and eyeing the file suspiciously.

"Listen," Veronica folded her hands across the table, "Those are… Those are all the horrible things that my father has done, and passing the information onto you." She said quickly in a soft yet audible whisper.

"And why are you giving this valuable info to us?" Cheryl replied as she tried to work things out in her head.

"My dad framed Archie, and there's no way to prove his innocence without exposing him. I need more people to know this in the case that anything should happen to me. I've gotta go now, but I'll see you later." Veronica whispered one more thing to them as she disappeared into the outside world, "Please, spread the word. I put a list of people in there I want you to tell this information to." And with that, Veronica gave a nod to Pop and exited the diner.

Cheryl and Toni cautiously opened the folder and surveyed the contents.

"Come on," Cheryl uttered, eyes never leaving the papers, "Let's go."

The couple gathered their things and left the diner, mimicking Veronica.

. . .

Veronica hurried up the stairs to her home. _I've been gone way too long._ She hesitantly and quietly unlocked and opened the door. She slowly closed the door behind her, heart pumping, hoping nobody would notice her presence. She silently tiptoed towards her bedroom.

"Veronica," a voice spoke from the dining room, "Now where have you been all day?"

"Daddy…" Veronica whispered, nearly jumping from the surprise, " Um, I was at Pop's with Cheryl and Toni." She spoke up straightened her posture.

"SInce when do you spend time with Cheryl, or that...Serpent for that matter?" Hiram questioned, standing up and turning towards his daughter.

"Well…" Veronica thought quickly, "We became close over the last few weeks and...we haven't hung out for a while."

"I see," Hiram grumbled, adjusting his overcoat.

"If you excuse me, I'm going to go to bed," Veronica turned to go to her room, but Hiram grabbed her by the shoulder and whispered in her ear.

"If you as so much utter one word of my doings," He began, sending a shiver traveling down Veronica's back, "Your mother will pay the price."

 _To be continued . . ._

 **Author's Note: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review! Not that much to say but this story is definitely starting to pick up some heat! I hope you come back next week.**

 **~Sofi**


	4. Chapter 4: Evil Confessions

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Welcome back! Thank you for all the amazing reviews 3 BTW, who else CANNOT wait until October for season 3?! I'm so excited! Anyway, happy 4th of July and enjoy!**

 **~Sofi**

 ***DISCLAIMER*  
** _ **I DO NOT OWN RIVERDALE I AM JUST BORROWING THE CHARACTERS**_

 **Chapter 4: Evil Confessions**

 _Everybody knows that feeling, the feeling of being watched, and the anxiety slowly crawling up your spine until it reaches your neck. You look around to see if your suspicions are true, as your palms grow sweaty._

 _But the time when this feeling abandons us is when we should need it most._

 _Local mean girl Cheryl (Bombshell) Blossom and her significant other, Antoinette (Toni) Topaz, had not experienced the harrowing feeling. Maybe it would've helped, or maybe it would've changed nothing._

Thistle House's lights dimly illuminated the atmosphere of dusk as Cheryl and Toni resided anxiously up on the second floor. The document was placed tightly in Cheryl's grasp, the contents more valuable than gold. Toni laid a hand upon Cheryl's shoulder as Cheryl hesitantly opened the document.

The first piece of paper held a list of names neatly written: Betty Cooper, Jughead Jones, Kevin Keller, Josie McCoy, Fred Andrews, FP Jones, and Alice Cooper. The remaining three pieces of paper held Hiram's downfall. The October Surprise, the Black Hood attack on town hall, his corruption of the police department, anything terrible he's done was confined to these pages.

"What should we do first?" Toni questioned, reading the atrocious deeds.

"Well, let's start by taking pictures. We have no way of telling who might find out about this, and if they do, they may try to mess with it." Cheryl grabbed her phone from her bedside table and instantly began to snap several photos of each page.

"Good. I'll contact the people on the list with the info and send them the photos." Toni replied, pulling her phone from the back of her ripped jeans. Toni's phone lit up with the pictures from Cheryl. She tapped each contact and pasted the photos and sent. There it was. Hiram's secrets were out.

A small 'thump' came from Cheryl's doorway.

"What was that?" Cheryl exclaimed, standing up from her ruby red bed cover. "Nana Rose? Was that you?" Her heart skipped a beat as she raced to the frame and peered down the hallway. Nobody. A concerned expression tinged her face and she closed the door to her bedroom. "I don't think it's safe to talk about it aloud."

"Yeah," Toni responded as her aspect molded into one identical to Cheryl's. "Let's just send these and call it a night."

Cheryl walked back to her spot on the bed and locked the door on her way.

Down the stairs, Penelope Blossom let out a sigh of relief. Once the door closed, she bolted from Thistle House, never forgetting what she had heard.

. . .

It was 7:37 in the morning. Bird song filled the early morning air outside of the Cooper residents. The house was reticent, stagnancy filling the atmosphere. With a cold cup of coffee in hand and a somber look plastered onto her face. Alice Cooper, not knowing what to do, sat silently at the living room table. The steam from her beverage ceased to drift away a while ago. Dark bags clung low beneath Alice's eyes as she lifted the cup to her lips. She felt tired. So tired, that Alice couldn't fall asleep. If she could fall asleep though, she was almost certain she'd sleep for eternity.

"Mom?" Polly entered the kitchen, Juniper held up in her right arm. The baby was fast asleep cradled with her. Alice looked up as Polly stepped towards her and sat down. "I wanted to talk to you."

Alice set down her container, right on top of the ring from her cup before this one. "What is it Polly?"

"Well…" She started nervously, "I was thinking… you haven't really been taking this whole situation well, so I was thinking…" Polly cleared her throat and adjusted the sleeping infant. "Maybe you should come to the farm with me?"

A confused expression clouded Alice's face. "Polly… I'm fine…"

'"Mom, you are definitely not fine. You mope around the house every second of everyday and it's sad! You don't eat, or sleep, or do anything! I hate to see you like that," Polly held Alice's hand in hers. "It wouldn't be forever. Will you at least consider the offer?"

"...Fine, I'll consider. But what will Betty do?"

"She can take care of herself, mom." Polly smiled in efforts to comfort Alice, which did seem to work. "I've got to get Juniper to bed, but I hope you make the right choice." With that, Polly got up from her seat and traveled up the stairs.

"...It's for the best…" Alice mumbled, bringing the cold cup to her lips one more.

. . .

The woods were quiet, quieter than usual. The trees seemed to loom taller, broader. The branches had been stripped of their leaves, taken by the wind and swooped to the ground below. A thin, crisp cool breeze traveled through the trees and shook the branches. Amongst it all, two teenage boys, hiding a secret, stand together hand in hand.

"Moose, we can't tell anybody about this." Kevin muttered, squeezing his hand a little tighter.

"...Why? We already got busted from finding Jason," Moose questioned, confusion lacing his voice.

"First, you kinda just got with me after Midge, and that's a little harsh, not to be harsh." Kevin took a deep breath and stared at the towering creations of nature. "...And, my old boyfriend's back in town."

"What?" Moose stopped in his tracks and looked towards Kevin. "Who?"

"Joaquin… and he's a Southside Serpent." Kevin avoided locking eyes with Moose.

"Kevin, what the hell? What were you doing dating 'Southside trash'?"

Kevin raised his voice. "Hey, he is not that bad, and he actually cared for me."

"Why-"

A deafening scream echoed through the wood. It sent shivers traveled down the partners' spines.

"What was that?" Kevin uttered, looking around.

"I'm not sure, but we better go check it out. Someone could be hurt," They both headed off into the direction of the scream, not knowing what awaited them upon arrival.

. . .

"I don't...I don't know who gave it to me!" Fresh tears stained her cheeks as she threw her hands into the air.

"Then how did you get it?" Jughead pressed on, clearly very angry.

Betty calmed down and looked up towards him. Oh how his heart ached every time he saw her cry, every time she wasn't okay. She took a deep, shaky breath and told her story. "When I, uh, got home last night, there was a knock at my door. When I went to see who it was, an envelope containing that not was at my doorstep."

"Why didn't you tell me right away?!" Betty flinched as Jughead raised his voice. He didn't _want_ to scare her, but he wanted to know everything he could, he wanted to protect her. "Betty, you could've been hurt last night, or this morning! How would I know if you were okay? Do you realize what this could mean, Betty? We don't know who sent it! It could be anybody!"

"I know!" Betty snapped, now causing him to flinch. "I was scared, I was! But we don't know if it's a prank, or a trick. We don't know enough about this, Jughead! It was late, my mom and Polly were with me. I didn't want to worry you! Your already so stressed, and this would be another dumb thing to be concerned over!"

"Betts," He calmed his voice as to extinguish the argument. "Your write, we don't know enough about this, which means we can't rule out that this is dangerous! It's definitely not dumb if this puts you at risk. I'm your boyfriend; it's my job to worry for you. Betty, i just want to make sure you're safe," _Safe._ That's all he ever wanted for her. He wanted to see her smile, to hear her laugh; he wanted her to know that she was safe and alright. He had that overwhelming feeling of protection over her, to make sure she was _safe._

"I know Juggie, I'm sorry I didn't tell you…" She tilted her head down apologetically. _How did he always know just what to say?_

"It's okay, Betts, glad you at least told me," Betty gave a small smile that made his heart soar. It soared higher and higher until it met Betty's, up in the clouds. He moved to hug her; Betty's arms wide open and ready to embrace him. He placed a kiss to the top of her head. _Why can't anything go right for them?_

"Well, at least I've got 'Big Bad Jughead Jones' to protect me," She smirked, looking up towards her boyfriend. He gave a small chuckle and planted yet another kiss onto her lips.

When they parted, Betty's phone buzzed in her pocket. A familiar fear clouded her mind. _No, it's not him Betty. He's gone._ She took a deep breath and shook her head. Betty snatched the phone from her pocket and observed the screen. She let out a long awaited sigh.

"Everything okay?" Jughead asked sternly.

"Yeah," Betty replied, "It's just my mom. It'll only be a sec." Betty ventured out into the hallway to take the call. Jughead watched her leave. How he wished all of this would go away. For her sake.

. . .

"Hiram, I'm home," Hermione's voice rang through the apartment's empty halls. She placed her coat neatly atop the coat rack and walked further into the home. Her heels clapped loudly against the floor. "Hiram?"

Hermione heard a soft 'hiccup' from the living room and headed over. The quiet cackle of the fire filled the atmosphere with a slight calm. She could see Hiram slumped over on the couch, glass in hand, still containing some alcohol. An expensive-looking ornate bottle of rum stood atop the side table beside the sofa. "Hiram, are you alright?"

"Just finee," Hiram responded, a slight slur lining his voice. He swirled the glass around in his hand, the rum within moving and splashing about. He coaxed Hermione to join him on the couch.

Her nerves settled as she realized he had just gotten drunk. She followed his gesture and sat, upright, beside him. She took the glass from his hand, preventing him from drinking any further, and set it down on the coffee table in front of them. "What is it, mi amor?"

"I've, *hick*, gotta tell you somethin'," He coughed, turning his head harshly towards her. "It's about, *hick*, Archie,"

"Yes?" Hermione began, a nervous feeling churning in her gut.

"I framed him,"

"...What?" She couldn't comprehend what he was saying. Her brows tightly knitted together in confusion.

"Andre actually, *hick*, killed him, they broke in and Andre, *hick*, shot 'em," Hiram's voice slurred heavier. Hermione quickly got up and headed to the office, continuing to piece what he had just revealed together in her mind. She rummaged through a few draws until she found what she was looking for: a tape recorder. She rushed back to the sofa, concealing the device, and sat beside Hiram.

She clicked on the recorder. "I don't understand, what did you do?" He curved his neck uncomfortable in her direction.

"Archie didn't, *hick*, kill that boy, Andre did," Hiram slumped lower into the sofa. "I framed 'em, so they wouldn't, *hick*, rat me out,"

"Are you absolutely sure?" She pushed, making sure she wasn't dreaming as he said this.

"Would bet my life on it, the truth," Hiram whispered, drifting closer and closer to sleep.

She clicked the off the recorder. "Well, let's get you to bed," Hiram grumbled as she helped him up towards the bedroom. A million thoughts traveled throughout her mind. _Hiram wouldn't do that to Archie, would he?_

She set him atop the mattress and changed into her nightgown. Before retreating to the pleasantness of sleep, she made her way to Veronica's room and kissed her upon her forehead. Hermione returned to her bedroom and lay down next to Hiram. The thoughts continued to race in her head. _It was going to be a long night…_

 _To be continued…_

 **Author's Note: Yeah, A LOT happened in the chapter. I hope you enjoyed, and it would be very much appreciated if you left a review, I would love to hear your thoughts on my story so far! Thank you and I hope you return next week!**

 **~Sofi**


	5. Chapter 5 Part 1: According to Plan

**Author's Note: Hey everybody! I'm back, and I know I've been gone for a long time but I've been taking sometime to write a few chapters. If you want to find out my plan and when I'm going to upload, please continue to read to the end. Thank you!**

 **~Sofi**

 ***DISCLAIMER***

 _ **I DO NOT OWN RIVERDALE I AM JUST BORROWING THE CHARACTERS**_

 **Chapter 5 Part 1: According to Plan**

 _Hiram Lodge._

 _His name struck fear into the hearts of the youth of Riverdale, but that was the way he liked it. He didn't want to save Riverdale; he wanted to control it._

 _Hiram wanted power, and he got it. The residents of Riverdale bowed down to him, worshipped him like a god._

 _Lurking in the dark, though, sinister secrets were being dug up, secrets Hiram would rather keep buried._

Betty Cooper's ponytail swung from side to side behind her head. Her mother had phoned her, not too unusual for the controlling and overprotective mother that Alice Cooper presented herself as. She slipped out from the Blue & Gold office into the hallway, phone up to her ear and ready to greet her mother on the other end. "Hello, mom? Is everything alright?"

"I'm not sure," Her mother's shaky voice came through, worrying the girl next door.

"Mom? Are you ok?"

"Well… FP just sent me a message, apparently Toni should've sent you the same," Alice spoke, voice easing slightly.

"Umm… ok, I'll check," Betty scrolled through the names in her list, few and far between. Before long, Her wandering finger had found Toni's contact and, low and behold, a message sent from her. Betty pressed the Serpent's name and eyed the information meant for her to see. As she read, Betty's eyes widened. "Holy shit," She muttered, it was quite possibly the first time she had said such an "ungodly" and "inappropriate" phrase in her whole teenage experience. "Mom, who sent FP and Toni all of this evidence?"

"Veronica gave it to them, apparently she wants Hiram to fall more than anybody," Alice undoubtedly smirked from behind the glassy screen: Betty could tell by her voice. She continued to look through the photos, a bubbly feeling growing evermore in her gut.

Jughead checked the time. 4:29 P.M.. Betty had been on the phone for nearly twenty minutes. Jughead peered through the smudged glass window into the hallway beyond the door. He studied Betty's face carefully, taking in each and every feature. He glandered at her eyes, her emerald green spheres opened wide towards the screen of her phone. Jughead then eyed her lips. Her mouth was agape before her teeth bit down upon it. Jughead took in her entire face, an unreadable expression reflecting towards him. It was almost as if she intrigued, but there was something else there. It was an expression Betty held when she was investigating, reporting, when she had that 'spark' as she put it. Though Jughead, who had been contemplating asking her, couldn't tell if what Betty knew was good or bad.

Jughead opened the door, heart longing for the relief of rest as it raced inside his chest. Just as he exited into the hallway, Betty hung up the phone, grabbed Jughead's hand, and led him back into the Blue & Gold office. "Hey, what's the rush, everything alright?" Jughead questioned as Betty locked the door behind them.

"Check your phone, now," Betty started, going through multiple papers and news articles scattered about the desk. "You should've gotten a message from Toni,"

Jughead raised an eyebrow and unlocked his phone. Sure enough, Toni had sent 3 images to Jughead, nothing more. Jughead tapped each photo, his aspect growing ever so serious as Betty arranged a few things across their bulletin board.

"Where…" Jughead started, still analyzing the photos.

"Veronica handed over some stuff to Toni and Cheryl, every dirty deed Hiram has committed in order to control Riverdale," Betty grabbed a handful of push pin from a small cardboard box. "Veronica said if _she_ said anything about him, that Hermione would take the fall."

"Well that's not unexpected," Jughead joined Betty at the board. "After the Black Hood attack at town hall, I'm pretty sure Hiram would do about anything to get what he wants."

"Juggie, tomorrow, I say we get everyone, all the people who know about this, together, here in the Blue & Gold to plan out what our next move is," Betty said, looking up towards Jughead.

"Sounds brilliant," Jughead pecked Betty's forehead, sending a smile onto her lips. Her mouth curled up, greeting Jughead with a giggle that sent butterflies flying furiously through his stomach.

From this angle, the light seemed to hit Jughead's face perfectly. His complexion was flawless; the skin free from all blemishes. The soft hue of the sun low in the afternoon complimented every single one of his aspects. The yellow radiance danced like miniature tongues of fire in the base of his eyes, turning them to hazel rather than a deep umber. The shadow cast by the star fell exquisitely against his cheek. A small smile graced his lips, strengthening the sight. Betty couldn't help but take it all in with indebtedness. She pressed a soft, yet passionate kiss onto his lips, only releasing once that satisfaction was enough. Finally, pulling herself away from the incredible sight, Betty retrieved her coat and grasping Jughead's hand. "Walk me home?"

"Of course," The duo ventured out into the cool breeze of dusk, hand in hand, nothing but them against the world.

. . .

"Mom!" Betty's voice echoed throughout the house. "I'm home!" She hung the scratchy brown coat on the coat hanger beside the door before removing her shoes quickly.

"Betty, we need to talk quickly," Alice sat at the dining room table, a glass of wine in hand; the bottle wasn't too far away. A golden light backlit Mrs. Cooper. With the light, many thin, pale yellow strands of hair stood out from the ends of her bed-head hair.

Betty entered the room, some unfamiliar feeling swell in the back of her mind. She took a seat next to her mother. "What is it?"

"Polly, uh, spoke to me earlier," Alice shifted in the chair. "You know how I've had a pretty tough time dealing with… your father and, uh, long story short, I'm going to the farm with her for a bit."

"Wait… why? What's there that'll help?" Betty countered. She didn't know why, but she felt disappointed, and, believe it or not, a little bit angry. It was hard to describe, it wasn't total anger, but more of a mixture. She noticed that, lately, she had been having trouble reading her own emotions. Betty Cooper always knew how she felt, but not now.

"She wants me to see a sort of… counselor," Alice began, slowly tipping the glass containing the intoxicating liquid towards her lips. She took a good, long sip as Betty looked on. "One that helped her when she felt down about Jason."

"Mom? I don't get why you need this! We'll be fine, we just have to get over it," Betty grasped her mother's hand, but released as Alice flinched.

Alice stared into Betty's eyes. "Honey, I can't keep going on like this, you know that. Besides, it won't be forever, only about a month. I know you can take care of the house while I'm away."

A harsh, golden light beamed through the window on the wall. The hue hit the glass that sat upon the dining room table, sending brilliant shades of crimsons and cerulean cascading throughout the room. A uniquely luminous amethyst reflected onto Betty's face, toning her skin to math itself. The glow hung over her left eye, darkening the emerald spheres. A flash of pure, deep purple stained the underlying area of her iris, fading up into the newly olive color of her eye. The radiant beam stung the girl; tears formed at the brim of her eye. She quickly moved herself from the light, returning her focus to her mother. She took in a deep breath, thinking about what her mother was saying, and saved every single wisp of air and sending it to her lungs. "Ok… I support your decision."

Alice smiled lightly. "Thank you," She took her daughter's hand in hers. If it was possible to feel others' emotions, the whole neighborhood would explode from how happy and grateful Mrs. Cooper was at this very moment.

Betty returned the grin. "Of course mom." Betty slowly got up and grabbed her bag from upon the dining room table and made her way upstairs. Once she entered her room, flopped onto her back on her bed. She observed her room: the decorations, the pictures, everything. The walls were a dull shade of turquoise half way up, the rest of the being occupied by very busy floral wallpaper. Her furnisher was starch white, ornate detail present on every piece, even around the silver mirror against her wall. Girly, pink things lay atop dressers and nightstands. Pastel posters were adorned upon the complex pattern of wallpaper. She pictured her room, her perfect little family, sitting in a dollhouse exactly like her house. Of course, her dad was there, but instead of a psychotic serial killer, he was a kind, loving father. It made her irritated, annoyed. _When had I stopped liking my room?_

She picked up her phone from beside her looked through the pictures Toni had sent her. She began to contact everyone, organizing a very important meeting for the next morning. _My my my… Hiram is really in for it now._

A message fell from the top her screen. It was from Jughead. She surveyed the message reading each word with interested.

 _Hey there Juliet, whatcha up to?_ She loved it when he called her Juliet.

 _Nothing much, how bout you Jones?_

 _Same. Actually Betts, I had a question._

 _I'm listening_

 _How about after we save Arch from the evil clutches of Hiram we get you that Serpent jacket? I'm going with Toni and Cheryl for Cheryl's tattoo, maybe you can get yours too._

Betty's heart skipped a beat, well, a couple. Finally, she could actually be an official Serpent. _I would love that, Forsythe. 3_

 _What did I say about calling me by my full name?!_

Betty giggled at this. _You still call me Elizabeth on a daily basis!_

 _Fine, can't argue with that. Goodnight, my love._

She laughed a little more. _As to you, Forsythe Pendleton Jones III, I love you._

 _I love you more._

With that, Betty pulled the device to her chest, right up to her heart, as if it were Jughead. Her heartbeat slowed. She imagined it aligning with Jughead's, their hearts intertwining, in sync forever. Their affection, ever growing.

A strange feeling caught her off guard and she felt the urge to look out her window. She looked through the smudged glass and down to the small grassy space in between her and Archie's house. A hooded figure, dressed in all black, locked eyes with her. Her heart rate picked up, faster and faster. Her mouth hung open, aghast with horror. The figure took off running, farther and farther until it was out of sight from her eyes. Betty stepped back, rubbing her eyes. _Who was that?_ She spoke to herself. _Who the hell was that?_

. . .

The early hours of the morning crept up from dusk, the sun shining brightly through the small rectangular window far from the tiled floors. The radiant light blinded him as he awoke, the beam harshly greeting him. He slowly arose; back stiff and aching from the hard metal bunk he had been given for rest.

The room was cold and silent. After 4 days, the steel-barred block Archie had been contained him had become quite boring. 3 days. There was only 3 days left until his trial. The anxious feeling had grown in his stomach and it hadn't stopped. Archie felt that at any minute he would explode, just break down and confess so that this feeling would go away.

His father was on his way back from Chicago, nearly at Riverdale. What would he tell him? How could he explain what Hiram did? His life seemed to falling apart, piece-by-piece. Like he was a single pillar, the world crumbling around him. How was he going to get out of this one?

His thoughts carried him to Betty and Jughead; he hadn't heard from them in a while. What did that mean? Did they have a plan? Did they have nothing? Then he thought for a moment: he still didn't use his one phone call.

"Hey! Hey!" Archie shouted, sprinting to the bars. "Hey!"

After a couple seconds, the silver knob began to rattle. Archie looked up as the wooden door opened and an officer walked in, clearly annoyed. "What do you want?"

Archie stared for a second, gulping a wad of spit before speaking. "I want my phone call."

Archie, contained in handcuffs, was being led to a room. There, a small table with chairs on either side were set in the middle of the room, a phone hung on the wall to the right. A small window identical to the one from the cell room was to the left behind one of the chairs. The walls were cinder block, painted roughly in an off white color. Once in the room, Archie's handcuffs were removed and one officer guarded the door. He quickly dialed a number into the phone; a bit surprised he could remember it.

" _Hello?"_

"Hey Jug, it's Arch. Just had to see how you were doing with my one phone call," Archie replied. He glanced over at cop by the door. He seemed to be in a daze, daydreaming while staring at the mini window. "Have you got anything? When am I getting out? My trial is in 3 days!" He whispered quietly and quickly into the phone, peering at the cop once in a while.

" _I know Arch, but we have something. We need 2 days at most; we are going to get you out. We have a plan that is definitely going to work just hold on."_

"Ok, well I gotta go. Thank you, and hurry." Archie hung up the phone, bringing the officer back to reality. Archie was led back to his cell, this time it felt slightly warmer. Though he didn't know the slightest thing about what was going to happen, he felt hope in that it would work. It had to work.

. . .

"Mom, I'm home from school!" Veronica walked through the door of her apartment. She knew her dad was gone today; he was doing business on the south side. She left her shoes on the doormat beside the wall and entered her room.

She slumped down on the bed and closed her eyes. The mattress hugged he back perfectly, cushioning all her pressure points. Veronica's mind eased, leading farther and farther away from the stressing events of reality. She drifted closer and closer to slumber, wishing for sweet relief rest would bring her.

Startling her awake, Hermione pushed open the door. She looked worried, unsure. "Mom? Are you alright?"

She sat down next to Veronica, a small device held in her hands. "Mom?"

"Veronica, listen to this…" Hermione handed the recorder to Veronica. She studied it for a minute, unsure whether or not she wanted to listen. Hesitantly, she pressed play.

" _I don't understand, what did you do?"_

" _Archie didn't, *hick*, kill that boy, Andre did. We framed 'em so they wouldn't, *hick*, rat me out."_

" _Are you absolutely sure?"_

 _"Would bet my life on it, the truth."_

The recorder clicked off. Veronica, wide-eyed, turned and looked at her mom. "I-"

Veronica's phone dinged. Glancing from her mother for only a second, she checked her phone. A message from Betty greeted her from the screen.

"Mom," She showed her mom the message. "This is crucial evidence. With this, we can get Archie out of jail!"

Hermione nodded. She stood and exited the room, leaving the recorder with Veronica.

 _To be continued, in part 2…_

 **Author's note: I'm so sorry for the delay, once school starts I will have so much more time to write. This one is shorter because it's a two-part chapter. Thank you for reading; I hope you enjoyed!**

 **~Sofi**


	6. Chapter 5 Part 2: Last Forever

**Author's Note: I know what you're going to say but time seriously got away from me. I'm really sorry, but we don't have time for excuses! On with the chapter!**

 **~Sofi**

 ***** _ **DISCLAIMER***_

 _ **I DO NOT OWN RIVERDALE I AM JUST BORROWING THE CHARACTERS**_

 **Chapter 5 Part 2: Last Forever**

The room was quiet, dark. The silk drapes had been closed over the window panes, shielding the bedroom from the harshness of morning's light. An even hum escaped an ornate clock propped upon a mantle. Matched with the dim glow, the constant hum gave a peaceful yet eerie mood to the scene. One drape, askew and slightly opened, let through one drop of golden sunlight. The beam dripped into a crystal upon a grand chandelier. Colors reflected from the edged stone throughout the room, brightening the dull that much more. One azure hue landed upon the sleeping figure's face, toning her skin to its liking. The shade complimented her raven hair brilliantly, fading away down the side of her neck. A steady breath escaped the maiden's lips, her chest heaving slowly and evenly.

A phone buzzed a few inches from her face. After a few seconds of the repetitive tone, the girl woke calmly, observing the time on the screen of her phone. 8:34 a.m.. She groaned rolling over to her side before stretching her well rested muscles. She quickly unlocked her device and tapped a contact, holding the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?" She mumbled, massaging her eyes to adjust to the morning.

" _Veronica,"_ the voice spoke, somewhat urgently. _"I've been calling you since 7 in the morning! Please don't tell me you just got up,"_

Veronica grinned to herself. "Only crazy people get up that early when there's no school, Betty,"

Betty scoffed, feeling almost offended. _"Well, anyway, I just wanted to tell you to come to the Blue & Gold office this afternoon at 3, we have a plan for Archie. It involves the contents of the file you sent out."_

Veronica paused. Her mind drifted back to that folder and what it held. She didn't _hate_ her father, not like Betty anyway. But how could she stand for him, after everything he'd done? He was even willing to put her mother, his _wife,_ into those crosshairs. Her thoughts soon lead her to the recording which still sat upon her bedside table. Veronica cleared her throat. "Okay, I'll be there. I've got something else, probably the most important thing."

" _Perfect,"_ Betty replied. A bang sounded from Betty's end of the line.

"B? You okay?" Veronica questioned, a worry growing from the back of her throat.

" _Uh, yeah, a bird just flew into my window,"_ Betty's voice sounded startled, but Veronica took her word for it. _"See you later V,"_

"You too B," With that, Veronica ended the call. She slumped back onto her covers. She didn't know whether to feel excited or nervous. After all, she was going to lose her father again. _To hell with that,_ she thought, _He should've never came back._ Veronica sat up, quickly pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind. She grabbed an ivory robe from a hanger upon her door and trotted to the closet. Maybe she should just greet the day optimistically, in whatever way that meant.

. . .

It was 2:55 now, everyone gathered together in the Blue & Gold office. Except Betty. She was usually described as a punctual person, always ahead of time, on task. This worried Jughead, only because everyone else was already there, including Alice. He had tried to reach her multiple times already, but to no avail.

"Jug, try to calm down," piped Veronica, "she probably just took a detour,"

Jughead was pacing back and forth, circling a few chairs. He ran his hand through his hair, momentarily removing his beanie to perform the task for a rare glimpse of the dark fibers. "She would at least answer my calls,"

"I agree, this is weird," Kevin spoke, shifting his position to lean against a desk.

"Betty left before me," Alice spoke, mirroring Jughead's quizzical and worried expression, "She didn't mention stopping anywhere."

Just as these words escaped Mrs. Cooper's lips, in walked the girl next door herself, carrying several bags of take-out from Pop's. Jughead's head popped up relieved that she was here. She paused as everyone was looking intently in her direction. "What's up?"

Jughead crossed his arms, "Nothing, just that you seemed to disappear for a half an hour,"

"Sorry," the blonde expressed, setting several bags down onto a nearby table, "I wanted to surprise everyone, and my phone died earlier. I forgot to charge it." She ushered everyone to grab something from the bag and stepped to Jughead's side, being greeted by a small peck on the forehead.

Jughead brushed a thin hair from her porcelain face, taking her in. He surveyed her face closely, noticing the bags hanging low beneath her dreary eyes, foundation lazily hiding them. Her body slouched a bit, contrasting with her usually perfect posture. It was blatantly obvious that little effort was put into her iconic up-due, and even her walk was sluggish. He placed a gentle hand onto her shoulder, noticing her tenseness. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Betty replied, agitation way too apparent within her tone. "Just a late night, figuring out everything,"

"You sure?" He looked into her eyes, deeply searching for an honest answer.

"Honest Juggy, just not a lot of sleep," They leaned into together, sharing a brief but passionate embrace. He smiled, contagiously plastering the same onto Betty's lips.

Once everyone finished their meal, the serious matters came to conversation. Each person present (besides Fred Andrews who wasn't in town), gathered around Betty and Veronica to hear the master plan.

"So," Betty started, "I've made copies of the folders for each of you. We want physical, non-virtual copies of this information. It's not worth the risk keeping it on our phones." Veronica began handing out the copies to the attendees, sparing Cheryl who she gave hers to.

"Kevin, Josie, Toni, and Cheryl, you will begin to make copies and put them up around town. But _do not_ let anyone know it is you. We need to keep this discreet for our own safety."

The four nodded at Betty. They swiftly grabbed their belongings and headed down the hall to the copier machine. The ones remaining were: The Core Four (minus Archie), and the parents.

"Parents," Betty began, FP and Alice smirking with intrigue. "You will oversee this operation, and make sure everything goes smoothly. FP, if possible, it would be valuable to get additional dirt on Hiram from the Serpents, but it isn't necessary."

The adults nodded, and they both made a mental note to inform Fred as soon as he got back from Chicago.

Betty then focused her attention to the remaining three, including her, left remaining. "Well then, that leaves us to start organizing the case for Archie's freedom. Let's get to work."

Time passed. Actually, a lot of time passed. About 6 hours, give or take a good ten minutes. Veronica had long since gone home, not forgetting to hand Betty the recording before she left. Jughead and Betty were the only ones left within the Blue & Gold while Cheryl and co. had left after nightfall to scatter the info. Everyone was exhausted, especially Betty. On top of all these Archie shenanigans, there was also the note, and the strange man, and the rock that hit her window. Betty wasn't stupid. She knew those were all tied together.

It was now about 9 o'clock when Betty finally stopped typing. She gently rubbed her eyes, which were aching from bright screen in front of her. Betty then rubbed her temple. God did she have the worst headache. The blonde teenager squeezed her eyes shut as the pain pounded and pulsed at the front of her head.

Jughead glanced up when he heard a heavy sigh from across the desk. "Hey Betts, why don't you head home. I'll finish up here, okay?" He spoke in a voice soft and sweet. She looked up to meet his eyes.

"Umm, are you sure? I could stay for a little bit longer-"

"Betts, really, you're tired, it's okay." He gave her a small smile of reassurance. He didn't want to make it blatantly obvious how terrible she looked, but it was still obvious to her.

She gave a sleepy grin back to the broad man as she hugged him. "Thank you, Juggy." She whispered into his chest, eyes closed with her weight leaning against him.

"Anytime, Juliet."

Before Betty trudged tiredly out of the room, they shared a passionate kiss. It lasted only ten seconds, but it felt like a lifetime. For once, in that moment, Betty felt totally and completely loved. Safe. Protected. All of the flaws that had washed up in her life seemed to disappear in just that moment. He welcomed her fully with open arms as her heart soared and she was surged with a beautiful and powerful energy. Oh what she would give to make that moment last forever.

"I love you, Juggy." 

"I love you too, Betts."

If only that moment could last forever.

 _To be continued…_

 **Author's Note: I was planning to end this on a darker, more agitating note but… we'll just have to leave that for the next chapter! It might be a bit until I release the next part, but it will be released sooner than this one. I hope enjoyed, thank you!**

 **~Sofi**


End file.
